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Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway and Used Pontoon Boats bringing you news and views from boating industry. Berthoud, Colorado is blessed with an abundance of local reservoirs and lakes, providing the perfect opportunity to beat the heat this upcoming summer.
With gas prices on the rise, more families will need a cheap and local spot to stay out of the heat. Local pools provide ideal hang outs during the week, but the weekend might call for something more special and exciting.
Carter Lake
Easily the most convenient for Berthoud residents, Carter Lake is nestled right in the foothills, 15 to 20 minutes away from town. At an elevation of 5,760 feet, the 1,100 acre reservoir offers popular spots for fishing, sailing, boating, swimming, water skiing and scuba diving.
Open year round, vehicles may enter the park for the price of a $7 daily permit (boats cost an additional $7). Annual passes to Carter, also valid for Horsetooth, Pinewood and Flatiron reservoirs, are available to the general public.
Carter’s water recreational opportunities remain endless. On any given weekend, a large number of boaters and sailors are found using the lake. If you do not own a boat or don’t know someone who does, Carter’s designated swim area provides an ideal way to cool off for the average family.
Fishing is popular not only at Carter, but neighboring lakes Flatiron and Pinewood. Since the two lakes are much smaller in size and do not allow motorized boats, local fishers often prefer the intimacy and quietness found there.
Opportunities to catch trout, walleye and yellow perch exist, with Carter also known for its largemouth bass when water temperatures rise above 60 degrees.
Directions: Take CR-56 west, make a left turn onto W CR-8E. Turn right onto CR-31.
Boyd Lake
Nearly the same distance and time north from Berthoud as Carter, Boyd Lake State Park is a haven for boaters, swimmers and fishers. Canoes, fishing boats, sailboats, ski boats and watercraft all use the 1,700-acre reservoir. The pavilion and sandy beach provide a location for swimmers. Boyd’s marina is open daily in the summer and includes rentals for ski, pontoon, fishing and paddle boats.
Locals as well as visitors also enjoy Boyd Lake State Park for its variety of wildlife, best known for a diverse bird population. More than 200 species of migratory and resident birds are found in the park.
A daily pass at Boyd costs $7, with annual passes starting at $60.
Directions: Take US-287 north to Loveland, turning right on Eisenhower BLVD. Take a left on N Madison Ave and turn right on CR-24E.
Horsetooth Reservoir
Providing 1,900 acres of water, Horsetooth is located in the foothills west of Fort Collins at an elevation of 5,430 feet. Horsetooth compares to Carter and Boyd, due to its large variety of recreational activities and proximity to Berthoud.
Horsetooth also charges $7 per vehicle and boat, offering many of the same amenities as Carter and Boyd.
You can reach the reservoir in approximately 45 minutes.
Directions: Take N Taft, left on Eisenhower, right on N Wilson. Wilson will turn into CR-19, take a left on CR-38E followed by a right on CR-23. Turn left on CR-48C.
Other popular lakes and reservoirs under an hour’s drive from Berthoud include Lonetree, Lon Hagler, Boedecker and Highland reservoirs. See next week’s sports pages for more information on these. Thanks to www.berthoudrecorder.com for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by: Take Digital Boat Photos for Income
Friday, June 27, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - Boat Sales good in Indiana
Sponsored by Safe Boating Contest - Win 50,000.00 in prizes
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway and Used Pontoon Boats bringing you news and views from boating industry. Boat makers say economy hasn’t had much of an impact on sales in Kosciusko County, Indiana.
Kosciusko County provides a quality of life that has been attracting people from across the country, particularly within the Midwest, for more than 100 years. At 3,400 acres, its Lake Wawasee is the largest natural lake in Indiana, and at 120 feet, its Lake Tippecanoe is the deepest in the state.
More than 100 lakes carved by ancient glaciers attract boating, fishing and water recreation enthusiasts to the county, and have helped it develop a business cluster that has become important to the area’s economic development.
The boat manufacturers, boat dealers and marinas pay taxes and provide good employment for permanent residents. And Joy McCarthy-Sessing, president of Kosciusko Development Inc., said the lakes attract a large influx of weekend visitors each summer to resorts and second homes on their shores.
In addition to the money they spend on upscale lakeside housing, the visitors have “a great impact on our economy because they buy food, they buy gas and they go to the restaurants here,” she said.
Syracuse is at the northwest corner of Lake Wawasee, and employees at Joe’s Ice Cream Supreme on South Huntington Road notice the impact of regulars who show up every year for the area’s lake life.
Joe’s has a coffee-shop business, which keeps it open year-round, but the pace picks up when the lakes get busy, said Haleigh McKee, who works there. “It gets a lot busier on weekends,” she said.
Not far from Joe’s on the same street is Pine Crest Marine, which is among the county’s larger new boat dealers. It recently began selling products made by Rinker Boat Co., which Kosciusko Development lists as the largest employer in Syracuse, with a work force of 525.
Chip Erwin, general manager for Pine Crest, said there are at least seven new boat dealers in the county, and “all the dealers are very good within their communities, as far as being active.”
Erwin said he has been very involved with the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and supports its efforts “to get new business here.”
Most marinas in the county don’t participate in boat shows beyond the one held each year at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, but Pine Crest has multiple locations and typically participates in at least four annual boat shows.
Sales at the shows haven’t been as good this year as they have been in the recent past, partly because the economy is slowing and gas prices are rising, Erwin said. This May was cooler than usual, which also has dampened spring sales.
“The extremely high-end stuff is still selling,” he said. “Boat people who have quite a bit of discretionary income are still buying. But folks who work at (area) factories … are saying, ‘It might be a little tough this year. We’d better wait and see.’”
Some customers who ordinarily would be trading in a boat for a new model “may keep their boats another year,” he said.
And in the entry-level market, “first-time boat buyers might be staying away this year,” he said.
“This business is cyclical, just like the car business, and this could be one of those years where things have to straighten themselves out a little bit.”
In another comparison with auto retailing, Erwin said dealers might become a little more aggressive and willing to hold the line on pricing, particularly on last year’s inventory.
“Some dealers may look at doing some things that may only have been done at boat shows in the past,” he said.
“I don’t want people to think they can come in and get a steal, but I would say there’s deals to be had this year that may not arise every year. It could be a good time to buy a boat.
Pine Crest saw the cyclical nature of the industry as an opportunity to start a boat detailing and reconditioning business this year, which Erwin said is doing well.
“We’re going to do some facility upgrades. We’re going to do some interior improvements in our showroom. We’re going to put some expenditures out there and possibly build a second building for storage. We’re not hunkering down. We’re not believing in all the doom and gloom,” he said.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association reports boating participation increased by 10 percent to include 59.1 million individuals in 2007, which the industry hopes will help make this summer a busy season on the water despite rising fuel prices.
A portion of the research, conducted by Michigan State University’s Recreational Marine Research Center, examined the boating habits of 2,400 boaters and found 1 percent of boat owners did not plan to use their boat in 2008 due to the high cost of fuel.
The study also found 3 percent of owners did not take their boat out in 2007 due to the high cost of fuel. In addition, the study showed boaters used their boats as often as ever, with the average usage in 2007 remaining steady with the past three years at about 33 days, or 16 weekends.
“Rising fuel costs have certainly shifted boater habits, causing them to take shorter trips or reduce their cruising speeds, but we expect boaters’ passion for the lifestyle to continue to lead them to the water this summer,” said Thom Dammrich, president of the NMMA, in a statement.
Additional findings from the group’s 2007 Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract indicated more than $37.5 billion was generated in boating sales and services in 2007, a decrease of 5 percent from 2006.
“The soft economy and weakening housing market have clearly had an impact on our industry in terms of new boat sales, but we’re seeing manufacturers adapt to changes in the economic landscape to help position the industry for growth by creating some of the most innovative products we’ve seen in decades,” Dammrich said.
“Hybrid boats, more efficient engines and technology such as joystick docking, which drastically improves the ease of maneuvering a boat, are bringing new and exciting options for boat buyers who will be ready to make a purchase once the economy improves.”
At Kosciusko County’s Lake Tippecanoe, George Paton said higher fuel prices haven’t slowed down boating in the area very much when the weather has been good.
Paton is manager and co-owner of Patona Bay, which owns Patona Bay Boat Sales & Service and Patona Bay Marina & Resort.
For visitors who have rented a cottage or parked a recreational vehicle at the lake and intend to go boating, “the price of gas is going to be a little bit of an obstacle, but it’s not going to stop you from enjoying yourself,” he said.
“People aren’t going to just go park their boats because the fuel is $4 a gallon.”
The company has an RV park and campgrounds on the lake, and rents cottages and slips there.
“Our reservations for cottages and so on in the main part of summer is about he same as always,” Paton said.
Paton expects to see some business impact from the economic slowdown, but not much. He reports the marina’s new and used boat sales have been holding up pretty well, and business has been good for its service department.
He said Kosciusko County is a good place to shop for a boat because “it’s no news that in this area there’s lot of marine dealers. It’s not uncommon to visit two or three or four of them when looking for a boat.”
He expects marinas to use fuel efficiency as a selling point for new boats this year.
“The industry in general has been moving to more fuel-efficient engines,” said Larry Baumgardt, national sales manager for JC Manufacturing, which employs about 60 at its North Webster plant that makes pontoon boats.
“The outboard engines we offer today are much more fuel efficient than they were five years ago, mostly due to the four-stroke technology in most of the engines,” he said.
About 10 to 15 years ago, it was more common to find boat engines using the kind of two-stroke technology typical of engines in lawnmowers and chain saws, he said.
The marine industry moved to the four-stroke technology found in automotive engines because it was quieter, more reliable and more fuel efficient.
The marine industry has model years like the auto industry, and its manufacturers like to continually upgrade their products, he said.
Last year, JC Manufacturing completely redid its midpriced boats. This year’s models feature new interiors and a powder coating for the rail pack, which is durable and gives the rails a clean, distinctive look.
The company also more than doubled the size of its fuel tanks, which previously had a 25-gallon capacity.
Partly because it serves a high-end market with more discretionary income, “we’re still in full production, working five days a week and a lot of times we’re working on Saturdays, so we’re doing just fine,” Baumgardt said.
“We’re going to have an all-right year, but it’s not going to be a record-breaking year,” he said, adding, “I think it will be a challenging year for the industry.”
Splendor Boats near Silver Lake expects its sales to be down substantially this year, partly because it bucked industry trends and saw record sales last year, said Cameron Steiner, sales manager. The company employs a dozen workers who custom build catamaran deck boats.
Last year, “we had new ownership and had very innovative product. And our catamarans were just really picking up steam,” he said.
“This year, because of the gas and housing crisis, it could go on the books as one of our toughest years.”
But Steiner said he expects to see sales improving for the company next year, partly as a result of a product the company is developing, which it expects to attract newcomers to boating.
“There’s a whole different segment of boaters other than pleasure boaters and fisherman, and (reaching them with the new product) will be neat,” he said. “It could be out later this year or early next year.”
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Safe Boating Contest - Win 50,000.00 in prizes
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway and Used Pontoon Boats bringing you news and views from boating industry. Boat makers say economy hasn’t had much of an impact on sales in Kosciusko County, Indiana.
Kosciusko County provides a quality of life that has been attracting people from across the country, particularly within the Midwest, for more than 100 years. At 3,400 acres, its Lake Wawasee is the largest natural lake in Indiana, and at 120 feet, its Lake Tippecanoe is the deepest in the state.
More than 100 lakes carved by ancient glaciers attract boating, fishing and water recreation enthusiasts to the county, and have helped it develop a business cluster that has become important to the area’s economic development.
The boat manufacturers, boat dealers and marinas pay taxes and provide good employment for permanent residents. And Joy McCarthy-Sessing, president of Kosciusko Development Inc., said the lakes attract a large influx of weekend visitors each summer to resorts and second homes on their shores.
In addition to the money they spend on upscale lakeside housing, the visitors have “a great impact on our economy because they buy food, they buy gas and they go to the restaurants here,” she said.
Syracuse is at the northwest corner of Lake Wawasee, and employees at Joe’s Ice Cream Supreme on South Huntington Road notice the impact of regulars who show up every year for the area’s lake life.
Joe’s has a coffee-shop business, which keeps it open year-round, but the pace picks up when the lakes get busy, said Haleigh McKee, who works there. “It gets a lot busier on weekends,” she said.
Not far from Joe’s on the same street is Pine Crest Marine, which is among the county’s larger new boat dealers. It recently began selling products made by Rinker Boat Co., which Kosciusko Development lists as the largest employer in Syracuse, with a work force of 525.
Chip Erwin, general manager for Pine Crest, said there are at least seven new boat dealers in the county, and “all the dealers are very good within their communities, as far as being active.”
Erwin said he has been very involved with the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and supports its efforts “to get new business here.”
Most marinas in the county don’t participate in boat shows beyond the one held each year at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, but Pine Crest has multiple locations and typically participates in at least four annual boat shows.
Sales at the shows haven’t been as good this year as they have been in the recent past, partly because the economy is slowing and gas prices are rising, Erwin said. This May was cooler than usual, which also has dampened spring sales.
“The extremely high-end stuff is still selling,” he said. “Boat people who have quite a bit of discretionary income are still buying. But folks who work at (area) factories … are saying, ‘It might be a little tough this year. We’d better wait and see.’”
Some customers who ordinarily would be trading in a boat for a new model “may keep their boats another year,” he said.
And in the entry-level market, “first-time boat buyers might be staying away this year,” he said.
“This business is cyclical, just like the car business, and this could be one of those years where things have to straighten themselves out a little bit.”
In another comparison with auto retailing, Erwin said dealers might become a little more aggressive and willing to hold the line on pricing, particularly on last year’s inventory.
“Some dealers may look at doing some things that may only have been done at boat shows in the past,” he said.
“I don’t want people to think they can come in and get a steal, but I would say there’s deals to be had this year that may not arise every year. It could be a good time to buy a boat.
Pine Crest saw the cyclical nature of the industry as an opportunity to start a boat detailing and reconditioning business this year, which Erwin said is doing well.
“We’re going to do some facility upgrades. We’re going to do some interior improvements in our showroom. We’re going to put some expenditures out there and possibly build a second building for storage. We’re not hunkering down. We’re not believing in all the doom and gloom,” he said.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association reports boating participation increased by 10 percent to include 59.1 million individuals in 2007, which the industry hopes will help make this summer a busy season on the water despite rising fuel prices.
A portion of the research, conducted by Michigan State University’s Recreational Marine Research Center, examined the boating habits of 2,400 boaters and found 1 percent of boat owners did not plan to use their boat in 2008 due to the high cost of fuel.
The study also found 3 percent of owners did not take their boat out in 2007 due to the high cost of fuel. In addition, the study showed boaters used their boats as often as ever, with the average usage in 2007 remaining steady with the past three years at about 33 days, or 16 weekends.
“Rising fuel costs have certainly shifted boater habits, causing them to take shorter trips or reduce their cruising speeds, but we expect boaters’ passion for the lifestyle to continue to lead them to the water this summer,” said Thom Dammrich, president of the NMMA, in a statement.
Additional findings from the group’s 2007 Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract indicated more than $37.5 billion was generated in boating sales and services in 2007, a decrease of 5 percent from 2006.
“The soft economy and weakening housing market have clearly had an impact on our industry in terms of new boat sales, but we’re seeing manufacturers adapt to changes in the economic landscape to help position the industry for growth by creating some of the most innovative products we’ve seen in decades,” Dammrich said.
“Hybrid boats, more efficient engines and technology such as joystick docking, which drastically improves the ease of maneuvering a boat, are bringing new and exciting options for boat buyers who will be ready to make a purchase once the economy improves.”
At Kosciusko County’s Lake Tippecanoe, George Paton said higher fuel prices haven’t slowed down boating in the area very much when the weather has been good.
Paton is manager and co-owner of Patona Bay, which owns Patona Bay Boat Sales & Service and Patona Bay Marina & Resort.
For visitors who have rented a cottage or parked a recreational vehicle at the lake and intend to go boating, “the price of gas is going to be a little bit of an obstacle, but it’s not going to stop you from enjoying yourself,” he said.
“People aren’t going to just go park their boats because the fuel is $4 a gallon.”
The company has an RV park and campgrounds on the lake, and rents cottages and slips there.
“Our reservations for cottages and so on in the main part of summer is about he same as always,” Paton said.
Paton expects to see some business impact from the economic slowdown, but not much. He reports the marina’s new and used boat sales have been holding up pretty well, and business has been good for its service department.
He said Kosciusko County is a good place to shop for a boat because “it’s no news that in this area there’s lot of marine dealers. It’s not uncommon to visit two or three or four of them when looking for a boat.”
He expects marinas to use fuel efficiency as a selling point for new boats this year.
“The industry in general has been moving to more fuel-efficient engines,” said Larry Baumgardt, national sales manager for JC Manufacturing, which employs about 60 at its North Webster plant that makes pontoon boats.
“The outboard engines we offer today are much more fuel efficient than they were five years ago, mostly due to the four-stroke technology in most of the engines,” he said.
About 10 to 15 years ago, it was more common to find boat engines using the kind of two-stroke technology typical of engines in lawnmowers and chain saws, he said.
The marine industry moved to the four-stroke technology found in automotive engines because it was quieter, more reliable and more fuel efficient.
The marine industry has model years like the auto industry, and its manufacturers like to continually upgrade their products, he said.
Last year, JC Manufacturing completely redid its midpriced boats. This year’s models feature new interiors and a powder coating for the rail pack, which is durable and gives the rails a clean, distinctive look.
The company also more than doubled the size of its fuel tanks, which previously had a 25-gallon capacity.
Partly because it serves a high-end market with more discretionary income, “we’re still in full production, working five days a week and a lot of times we’re working on Saturdays, so we’re doing just fine,” Baumgardt said.
“We’re going to have an all-right year, but it’s not going to be a record-breaking year,” he said, adding, “I think it will be a challenging year for the industry.”
Splendor Boats near Silver Lake expects its sales to be down substantially this year, partly because it bucked industry trends and saw record sales last year, said Cameron Steiner, sales manager. The company employs a dozen workers who custom build catamaran deck boats.
Last year, “we had new ownership and had very innovative product. And our catamarans were just really picking up steam,” he said.
“This year, because of the gas and housing crisis, it could go on the books as one of our toughest years.”
But Steiner said he expects to see sales improving for the company next year, partly as a result of a product the company is developing, which it expects to attract newcomers to boating.
“There’s a whole different segment of boaters other than pleasure boaters and fisherman, and (reaching them with the new product) will be neat,” he said. “It could be out later this year or early next year.”
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Safe Boating Contest - Win 50,000.00 in prizes
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - The Repon Man's a Coming
Sponsored by Seized Boat Auctions
Hi gang, Rick Ostler again from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. When the economy falters, the repo man gains. So many people have so many things they can no longer afford. This is an excellent time to be a repo man.
When a boater defaults on his loan, the bank hires Jeff Henderson to go seize, or repossess, its property.
The former U.S. Army detective tracks the boat down in a backyard or a marina or a garage and hauls it back here, where he auctions it off. After nearly 20 years in the repossession business, Henderson has never been busier. “I used to take the weak ones,” he said. “Now I’m taking the whole herd.”
Boating was traditionally the pastime of the well-off, but the long housing boom and its gusher of easy credit changed that. People refinanced their homes and used the cash for down payments on a cruiser, miniyacht or sailboat. Between 2000 and 2006, retail sales for the recreational boating industry rose by more than 40 percent, to $39.5 billion, while the average loan size more than tripled to $141,000.
Last year, as real estate faltered, the gears went into reverse. The number of boats sold fell 8 percent. Many boats are fuel hogs, and spiraling gasoline and diesel prices meant a weekend jaunt could cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Strapped owners found they could not sell for what they owed and could not refinance either.
The solution for some is simply to stop paying on Jersey Dreamin’ or Just Do It or Bally Hoo. Then one day they come home and it is gone.
Henderson’s company, Harrison Marine, has seven employees as well as half a dozen part-timers, making it one of the largest boat-repossession operations in the country.
The business usually slacks off in the spring as the boating season begins and delinquent owners try to fend off the bank long enough to have some fun.
Not this year. Henderson, 48, is repossessing nearly a boat a day, most from the Great Lakes area but a few farther a field. He is looking for a Bronx man named Rocko, who told the bank his 34-foot, or 10-meter, cruiser was at a marina that does not exist. He is trying to get a Michigan woman to tell him where her (soon-to-be-ex) husband’s pontoon boat is.
The bigger the boat, the harder to hide. A few miles from Henderson’s office is a house that, even in depressed Michigan, would sell for a million dollars. Tied up on the canal in back, just visible from the street, is a 40-foot Silverton yacht. As Henderson cased the joint the other day, something nagged at his memory.
Finally he remembered: “I’ve taken this boat before.” Owners of repossessed boats have a few weeks to redeem them, and this fellow had availed himself of the opportunity. Now, a few years later, he was in trouble again. Henderson shrugged. “I took it before, I’ll take it again. After I take it a few more times, he’ll be eligible for a Christmas card. One guy, I took his boat four times.”
Boat loans, like car loans, give the bank permission to recover its collateral in the case of default, which explains why a repo man can go into a yard without, technically, being guilty of trespassing.
Nevertheless, the custom is to get in and get out before the owners, neighbors or authorities notice anything amiss.
If the boat is in a marina, the pace is somewhat more leisurely. People delinquent on their boat loans also tend to be behind with their dock payments; since Henderson pays any overdue charges, most marinas are delighted to help him.
In search of Toy Box, a 34-foot Donzi Express with green stripes, he called about two dozen marinas, finally finding it on the Detroit River. On a recent afternoon, he had it pulled out of winter storage.
As soon as it was in the water, Henderson and his assistant, Larry McClelland, went through their set of master boat keys until one fit. McClelland fiddled with the engines, which were not in great repair. Tune-ups are another expense that delinquents tend to avoid.
No one grows up aspiring to be a repo man. Henderson got out of the army in 1989, another year when the economy was queasy. Unable to find a job in law enforcement, he followed a friend’s recommendation into the repossession business.
When he meets strangers and they ask what he does, he merely says he is in the marine industry. He has repossessed the boats of friends and one relative, a cousin. “Somebody’s got to do it,” he said. “Might as well be me.”
Toy Box was rocketing up Lake St. Clair when Henderson’s cellphone rang. It was the marina he had just left, saying the owner had shown up looking for his boat. He was now driving up to Harrison Marine. The possibility of violence shadows every repo man. “Sometimes people have a bit of an attitude,” Henderson said.
He was seizing a pontoon boat from a yard in northern Michigan when a woman came out pointing a hunting rifle.
Another time, an off-duty police officer pulled a gun, perhaps confusing the repo man with a thief. But when he steered Toy Box up to his dock, no fisticuffs ensued. Robert Dahmen, a lanky 49-year-old, was peaceful, even apologetic. He wanted to salvage whatever he could off the boat, and offered in return to detail its history to any possible buyers. Henderson was polite but distant. Hard-luck stories have ceased to interest him.
Some people lose their house or their boat to abrupt setbacks: illness, job loss, divorce. Dahmen, who works as a technology manager for a car manufacturer, belongs to a second, probably larger group: he simply spent beyond his means. He is one of the millions of reasons the consumer-powered U.S. economy did so well for most of this decade, and one of the reasons its prospects look so bleak now.
“There’s a certain sense of failure about all this, to tell you the truth,” Dahmen said. “There really is.” He originally bought a smaller, more affordable boat, but a salesman talked him into an upgrade. “Oh yeah, I said, that would be cool.” And it was: There were many pleasant cruises during the brief Michigan summers.
The merriment came at a price, though. Toy Box cost $175,000. With the trade-in and a down payment, Dahmen ended up with a $125,000 loan. “You pay the interest up front,” he observed, “and the principal never goes down.” After seven years he still owed $111,000, about twice what the boat is worth. Meanwhile, he lost his condominium when his mortgage readjusted and those payments went up. His 401(k) is down to $9,000.
“I oversaturated myself with long-term debt,” he said. “It was a risk, a calculated risk. I obviously lost.” He is declaring bankruptcy.
As soon as the Harrison Marine crew winched Toy Box out of the water, Dahmen boarded for the last time. He removed a wooden wine rack, life preservers, a case of Absopure water, paper plates, swizzle sticks and yachting shoes. His sport-utility vehicle was soon full.
From now on, Dahmen said, the consumer economy would have to get by without him. “I have no intention of ever buying anything, ever,” he said. “I don’t think I could if I wanted to.”
Dahmen gave Toy Box a hug. “O.K., I’m gonna go cry now,” he said. He drove away without looking back. Henderson left, too. His house is about 15 miles away, inland. He used to live on the water, but it reminded him too much of work. Thanks to David Streitfeld, International Herald Tribune for this. http://www.tehrantimes.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Seized Boat Auctions
Hi gang, Rick Ostler again from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. When the economy falters, the repo man gains. So many people have so many things they can no longer afford. This is an excellent time to be a repo man.
When a boater defaults on his loan, the bank hires Jeff Henderson to go seize, or repossess, its property.
The former U.S. Army detective tracks the boat down in a backyard or a marina or a garage and hauls it back here, where he auctions it off. After nearly 20 years in the repossession business, Henderson has never been busier. “I used to take the weak ones,” he said. “Now I’m taking the whole herd.”
Boating was traditionally the pastime of the well-off, but the long housing boom and its gusher of easy credit changed that. People refinanced their homes and used the cash for down payments on a cruiser, miniyacht or sailboat. Between 2000 and 2006, retail sales for the recreational boating industry rose by more than 40 percent, to $39.5 billion, while the average loan size more than tripled to $141,000.
Last year, as real estate faltered, the gears went into reverse. The number of boats sold fell 8 percent. Many boats are fuel hogs, and spiraling gasoline and diesel prices meant a weekend jaunt could cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Strapped owners found they could not sell for what they owed and could not refinance either.
The solution for some is simply to stop paying on Jersey Dreamin’ or Just Do It or Bally Hoo. Then one day they come home and it is gone.
Henderson’s company, Harrison Marine, has seven employees as well as half a dozen part-timers, making it one of the largest boat-repossession operations in the country.
The business usually slacks off in the spring as the boating season begins and delinquent owners try to fend off the bank long enough to have some fun.
Not this year. Henderson, 48, is repossessing nearly a boat a day, most from the Great Lakes area but a few farther a field. He is looking for a Bronx man named Rocko, who told the bank his 34-foot, or 10-meter, cruiser was at a marina that does not exist. He is trying to get a Michigan woman to tell him where her (soon-to-be-ex) husband’s pontoon boat is.
The bigger the boat, the harder to hide. A few miles from Henderson’s office is a house that, even in depressed Michigan, would sell for a million dollars. Tied up on the canal in back, just visible from the street, is a 40-foot Silverton yacht. As Henderson cased the joint the other day, something nagged at his memory.
Finally he remembered: “I’ve taken this boat before.” Owners of repossessed boats have a few weeks to redeem them, and this fellow had availed himself of the opportunity. Now, a few years later, he was in trouble again. Henderson shrugged. “I took it before, I’ll take it again. After I take it a few more times, he’ll be eligible for a Christmas card. One guy, I took his boat four times.”
Boat loans, like car loans, give the bank permission to recover its collateral in the case of default, which explains why a repo man can go into a yard without, technically, being guilty of trespassing.
Nevertheless, the custom is to get in and get out before the owners, neighbors or authorities notice anything amiss.
If the boat is in a marina, the pace is somewhat more leisurely. People delinquent on their boat loans also tend to be behind with their dock payments; since Henderson pays any overdue charges, most marinas are delighted to help him.
In search of Toy Box, a 34-foot Donzi Express with green stripes, he called about two dozen marinas, finally finding it on the Detroit River. On a recent afternoon, he had it pulled out of winter storage.
As soon as it was in the water, Henderson and his assistant, Larry McClelland, went through their set of master boat keys until one fit. McClelland fiddled with the engines, which were not in great repair. Tune-ups are another expense that delinquents tend to avoid.
No one grows up aspiring to be a repo man. Henderson got out of the army in 1989, another year when the economy was queasy. Unable to find a job in law enforcement, he followed a friend’s recommendation into the repossession business.
When he meets strangers and they ask what he does, he merely says he is in the marine industry. He has repossessed the boats of friends and one relative, a cousin. “Somebody’s got to do it,” he said. “Might as well be me.”
Toy Box was rocketing up Lake St. Clair when Henderson’s cellphone rang. It was the marina he had just left, saying the owner had shown up looking for his boat. He was now driving up to Harrison Marine. The possibility of violence shadows every repo man. “Sometimes people have a bit of an attitude,” Henderson said.
He was seizing a pontoon boat from a yard in northern Michigan when a woman came out pointing a hunting rifle.
Another time, an off-duty police officer pulled a gun, perhaps confusing the repo man with a thief. But when he steered Toy Box up to his dock, no fisticuffs ensued. Robert Dahmen, a lanky 49-year-old, was peaceful, even apologetic. He wanted to salvage whatever he could off the boat, and offered in return to detail its history to any possible buyers. Henderson was polite but distant. Hard-luck stories have ceased to interest him.
Some people lose their house or their boat to abrupt setbacks: illness, job loss, divorce. Dahmen, who works as a technology manager for a car manufacturer, belongs to a second, probably larger group: he simply spent beyond his means. He is one of the millions of reasons the consumer-powered U.S. economy did so well for most of this decade, and one of the reasons its prospects look so bleak now.
“There’s a certain sense of failure about all this, to tell you the truth,” Dahmen said. “There really is.” He originally bought a smaller, more affordable boat, but a salesman talked him into an upgrade. “Oh yeah, I said, that would be cool.” And it was: There were many pleasant cruises during the brief Michigan summers.
The merriment came at a price, though. Toy Box cost $175,000. With the trade-in and a down payment, Dahmen ended up with a $125,000 loan. “You pay the interest up front,” he observed, “and the principal never goes down.” After seven years he still owed $111,000, about twice what the boat is worth. Meanwhile, he lost his condominium when his mortgage readjusted and those payments went up. His 401(k) is down to $9,000.
“I oversaturated myself with long-term debt,” he said. “It was a risk, a calculated risk. I obviously lost.” He is declaring bankruptcy.
As soon as the Harrison Marine crew winched Toy Box out of the water, Dahmen boarded for the last time. He removed a wooden wine rack, life preservers, a case of Absopure water, paper plates, swizzle sticks and yachting shoes. His sport-utility vehicle was soon full.
From now on, Dahmen said, the consumer economy would have to get by without him. “I have no intention of ever buying anything, ever,” he said. “I don’t think I could if I wanted to.”
Dahmen gave Toy Box a hug. “O.K., I’m gonna go cry now,” he said. He drove away without looking back. Henderson left, too. His house is about 15 miles away, inland. He used to live on the water, but it reminded him too much of work. Thanks to David Streitfeld, International Herald Tribune for this. http://www.tehrantimes.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
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Used Pontoon Boats - Table Rock Lake Pontoon Shuttle
Sponsored by Safe Boating Contest - Win 50,000.00 in prizes
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here again from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. Ed Wilson went from career Army retiree to water taxi in one weekend at the Harbor on Table Rock Lake.
Chris Cooper, 15, was reassigned from gas dock duty at Indian Point Marina to parking attendant.
They were among the busiest people at Table Rock over Memorial Day weekend, as marinas enlisted staff and friends to direct traffic and taxi customers from shore to their boats. Marinas have been gearing up for weeks.
With the lake still some 12 feet over normal for this time of year, parking lots at marinas and public campgrounds are flooded and walkways to boat docks are submerged. Only Port of Kimberling had walkway access to all 46 docks, but parking was limited.
"It's an all-hands-on-deck scenario," said Harbor marina manager Tim Schuller.
Ed Wilson began at 7:45 a.m. Sunday, and shuttles were expected to run until 6 p.m. After that, each dock appointed a "captain" to be responsible for running the shuttle overnight.
"It's been a pretty crazy three to four days," Wilson said, "but it's been a lot of fun."
And, "No," he added, "we don't get very many tips. The best tip I've gotten is 'Don't you forget me out here.'"
The Harbor took six pontoon boats out of its rental fleet to taxi boat owners, said owner Bob Cox. His brother Pat Cox at State Park Marina also took six pontoons to shuttle guests.
The fleet reduction hurt rental revenue over the holiday weekend, Bob Cox said. It also cost more to keep extra staff on hand, but that's part of business, he said.
"We look at it as an opportunity to deliver on what we promise," he said.
The system worked for dock renters like Brenda Henry, of Monett, and her family. When they needed a ride from their houseboat to shore, they used cell phones to call for a taxi. Ed Wilson might show up at their dock, another time it might have been Jim Howe -- former Harbor owner who came out of retirement to pitch in over the weekend.
"What are you going to do?" asked St. Robert resident Tom Bright, before he and his wife, Linda, boarded a water taxi at the shore. "You cope and roll with the punches, or have a sour puss on you."
Some found it inconvenient.
"I would much rather get to my dock on foot," said Lindsay Bauer, of Springfield.
People who were cleaning and supplying their boats for the first time this season had extra cargo to lug on the pontoon taxis, she said.
"We have dock neighbors with dogs who can't walk their dogs on shore without getting a shuttle," she said. "And if you run out of ice, you have to go get a shuttle..."
Chris Cooper at Indian Point, meanwhile, baked in the hot Sunday sun and directed traffic around the flooded lot.
Indian Point Marina, which leases the property from the Corps of Engineers, will come out ahead on parking once the lake recedes, said co-owner Brett Stump.
He's been lobbying lakeshore managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 10 years to allow him more than the six parking spots at the Indian Point boat launch, Stump said.
A week before Memorial Day, the Corps expanded the marina's lease line to include two small sections of trees between the marina and Indian Point campgrounds.
Within two days of the Corps' approval, friends with backhoes, bulldozers and other heavy equipment cut down the trees, graded the property, spread gravel and produced enough parking space for 45 cars on one side, about 20 on the other. Someone else has volunteered to donate landscaping blocks.
By July 4, Stump plans to have the new lot paved and striped for parking.
"This was woods two days ago," Stump said, admiring the lot. "Out of disaster came some positive. The public can be assured of being taken care of."
Thanks to Kathleen O'Dell, News-Leader for this. http://www.news-leader.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Safe Boating Contest - Win 50,000.00 in prizes
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here again from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. Ed Wilson went from career Army retiree to water taxi in one weekend at the Harbor on Table Rock Lake.
Chris Cooper, 15, was reassigned from gas dock duty at Indian Point Marina to parking attendant.
They were among the busiest people at Table Rock over Memorial Day weekend, as marinas enlisted staff and friends to direct traffic and taxi customers from shore to their boats. Marinas have been gearing up for weeks.
With the lake still some 12 feet over normal for this time of year, parking lots at marinas and public campgrounds are flooded and walkways to boat docks are submerged. Only Port of Kimberling had walkway access to all 46 docks, but parking was limited.
"It's an all-hands-on-deck scenario," said Harbor marina manager Tim Schuller.
Ed Wilson began at 7:45 a.m. Sunday, and shuttles were expected to run until 6 p.m. After that, each dock appointed a "captain" to be responsible for running the shuttle overnight.
"It's been a pretty crazy three to four days," Wilson said, "but it's been a lot of fun."
And, "No," he added, "we don't get very many tips. The best tip I've gotten is 'Don't you forget me out here.'"
The Harbor took six pontoon boats out of its rental fleet to taxi boat owners, said owner Bob Cox. His brother Pat Cox at State Park Marina also took six pontoons to shuttle guests.
The fleet reduction hurt rental revenue over the holiday weekend, Bob Cox said. It also cost more to keep extra staff on hand, but that's part of business, he said.
"We look at it as an opportunity to deliver on what we promise," he said.
The system worked for dock renters like Brenda Henry, of Monett, and her family. When they needed a ride from their houseboat to shore, they used cell phones to call for a taxi. Ed Wilson might show up at their dock, another time it might have been Jim Howe -- former Harbor owner who came out of retirement to pitch in over the weekend.
"What are you going to do?" asked St. Robert resident Tom Bright, before he and his wife, Linda, boarded a water taxi at the shore. "You cope and roll with the punches, or have a sour puss on you."
Some found it inconvenient.
"I would much rather get to my dock on foot," said Lindsay Bauer, of Springfield.
People who were cleaning and supplying their boats for the first time this season had extra cargo to lug on the pontoon taxis, she said.
"We have dock neighbors with dogs who can't walk their dogs on shore without getting a shuttle," she said. "And if you run out of ice, you have to go get a shuttle..."
Chris Cooper at Indian Point, meanwhile, baked in the hot Sunday sun and directed traffic around the flooded lot.
Indian Point Marina, which leases the property from the Corps of Engineers, will come out ahead on parking once the lake recedes, said co-owner Brett Stump.
He's been lobbying lakeshore managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 10 years to allow him more than the six parking spots at the Indian Point boat launch, Stump said.
A week before Memorial Day, the Corps expanded the marina's lease line to include two small sections of trees between the marina and Indian Point campgrounds.
Within two days of the Corps' approval, friends with backhoes, bulldozers and other heavy equipment cut down the trees, graded the property, spread gravel and produced enough parking space for 45 cars on one side, about 20 on the other. Someone else has volunteered to donate landscaping blocks.
By July 4, Stump plans to have the new lot paved and striped for parking.
"This was woods two days ago," Stump said, admiring the lot. "Out of disaster came some positive. The public can be assured of being taken care of."
Thanks to Kathleen O'Dell, News-Leader for this. http://www.news-leader.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Safe Boating Contest - Win 50,000.00 in prizes
Used Pontoon Boats - Preparing Your Boat for Summer
Sponsored by Seized Boat Auctions
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats bringing you news and views from the boating industry. BRISTOL, Tenn. – Kelly Weaver pulled her pontoon boat into the dock at Painter Creek Marina and almost immediately started looking for quarters so she could use the marina’s vacuum machine.
She removed some trash – including a few empty beer bottles her brother left behind from the last time he used the boat – and grimaced when she lifted a seat to find a pool of stagnant water. “It’s a nightmare to clean these things up,” said Weaver, who last took out her boat three years ago. “We have to get the carpet cleaned up and finish scrubbing the seats.”
Hundreds of boaters trickled into South Holston’s Marinas
Weaver works as a trucker and last had her boat in Florida where the lakes were too dry to use it. Now back home in the Tri-Cities, she hopes to use it on South Holston Lake whenever her job allows. “I like to come out here every weekend,” Weaver said as she ran the vacuum across her boat’s carpeted floor.
“With beautiful weather, you can’t pass it up.” Hundreds of boaters like Weaver trickled into South Holston’s marinas and docks last week as they prepared for Memorial Day weekend and the official start of the summer boating season.
MTM Marine - Busy servicing customers
Also like Weaver, who had to buy a new battery for her boat and have its carburetor cleaned, boaters visited mechanics like MTM Marine’s Michael Brown, to have certain problems fixed that they couldn’t take care of themselves. “If I hear, ‘My boat’s gotta be ready by Friday’ one more time, I’m gonna throw up,” Brown said Thursday when the front lawn of the repair shop was littered with so many boats it looked like a dealership.
Most of Brown’s customers come in for regular tune-ups, where he cleans the carburetor, changes the oil and installs a new water pump or battery. “These things now-a-days, they’ve got on-board computers and pretty much protect themselves,” he said, adding a motor’s technology prevents most problems. “The only thing you don’t get an alarm for is running out of fuel.”
But fuel, Brown said, is at the root of some more serious problems boaters have with their engines. Because boat motors are contained in sealed spaces and exposed to water, it creates the perfect environment for fuel separation, or when the ethanol in gasoline mixes with water and creates a syrupy liquid.
“Modern fuel with ethanol breaks down in 10 days,” said Brown, who first saw the problem a few years ago when oil companies started using ethanol as a fuel additive. “It looks like brown Jello.”
How to prevent fuel separation in your boat motor
Brown tells his customers they can prevent fuel separation by adding a fuel stabilizer whenever they fill up with gas. People can also prevent the problem by getting fuel-moisture separators like the devices David McCray uses for his houseboat and pontoon boat.
A teacher at Vance Middle School, McCray spends most of his summers at South Holston Lake because he doesn’t have to work during the season. He also visits the lake during the winter and spends at least one weekend a month on the houseboat during the off-season.
“We could probably move out here, stay and be happy,” McCray said while changing spark plugs on a personal watercraft his 17-year-old daughter will use all summer.
About seven miles up the road, Bob and Susie Parkerson were hard at work at Laurel Marina, preparing their recently-purchased houseboat for its inaugural season as their “little cabin on the water.”
“We’re lake people. We’re out here every minutes that we’re off work,” Susie Parkerson said.
The Johnson City, Tenn., couple already keep a boat at the marina. The houseboat, which they bought in September, “was a dream of mine,” Susie said.
Getting it ready was a big job, Bob Parkerson said, and the couple chose to do it in small increments. Last weekend, they washed and waxed the top of the boat and planned to finish the rest later in the week.
“You have to do this once a year,” Bob Parkerson said.
Then his wife chimed in, “It’s not too bad. There are no gutters to clean and no lawn to mow.”
Boat-owners weren’t the only people working hard in preparation for the boating season. Joyce Smartt, manager at Laurel Marina, said she and her staff have been working non-stop for a month to get ready for the annual deluge of customers.
“We’re getting the store stocked, making sure the facility is clean and neat and everything is painted. We’re planting flowers and cleaning the docks,” Smartt said. “And we’ve got new employees to train.”
Smartt said Memorial Day business is double that of other summer weekends, but added July 4th is the busiest weekend of the summer.
She expects this season to be as busy, if not busier, than years past.
“We think people won’t be traveling as much this summer with the gas prices so high, so they’ll stay here and use their boats more,” she said. Thanks to MAC McLEAN and AMY HUNTER, BRISTOL HERALD COURIER. http://www.tricities.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Seized Boat Auctions
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats bringing you news and views from the boating industry. BRISTOL, Tenn. – Kelly Weaver pulled her pontoon boat into the dock at Painter Creek Marina and almost immediately started looking for quarters so she could use the marina’s vacuum machine.
She removed some trash – including a few empty beer bottles her brother left behind from the last time he used the boat – and grimaced when she lifted a seat to find a pool of stagnant water. “It’s a nightmare to clean these things up,” said Weaver, who last took out her boat three years ago. “We have to get the carpet cleaned up and finish scrubbing the seats.”
Hundreds of boaters trickled into South Holston’s Marinas
Weaver works as a trucker and last had her boat in Florida where the lakes were too dry to use it. Now back home in the Tri-Cities, she hopes to use it on South Holston Lake whenever her job allows. “I like to come out here every weekend,” Weaver said as she ran the vacuum across her boat’s carpeted floor.
“With beautiful weather, you can’t pass it up.” Hundreds of boaters like Weaver trickled into South Holston’s marinas and docks last week as they prepared for Memorial Day weekend and the official start of the summer boating season.
MTM Marine - Busy servicing customers
Also like Weaver, who had to buy a new battery for her boat and have its carburetor cleaned, boaters visited mechanics like MTM Marine’s Michael Brown, to have certain problems fixed that they couldn’t take care of themselves. “If I hear, ‘My boat’s gotta be ready by Friday’ one more time, I’m gonna throw up,” Brown said Thursday when the front lawn of the repair shop was littered with so many boats it looked like a dealership.
Most of Brown’s customers come in for regular tune-ups, where he cleans the carburetor, changes the oil and installs a new water pump or battery. “These things now-a-days, they’ve got on-board computers and pretty much protect themselves,” he said, adding a motor’s technology prevents most problems. “The only thing you don’t get an alarm for is running out of fuel.”
But fuel, Brown said, is at the root of some more serious problems boaters have with their engines. Because boat motors are contained in sealed spaces and exposed to water, it creates the perfect environment for fuel separation, or when the ethanol in gasoline mixes with water and creates a syrupy liquid.
“Modern fuel with ethanol breaks down in 10 days,” said Brown, who first saw the problem a few years ago when oil companies started using ethanol as a fuel additive. “It looks like brown Jello.”
How to prevent fuel separation in your boat motor
Brown tells his customers they can prevent fuel separation by adding a fuel stabilizer whenever they fill up with gas. People can also prevent the problem by getting fuel-moisture separators like the devices David McCray uses for his houseboat and pontoon boat.
A teacher at Vance Middle School, McCray spends most of his summers at South Holston Lake because he doesn’t have to work during the season. He also visits the lake during the winter and spends at least one weekend a month on the houseboat during the off-season.
“We could probably move out here, stay and be happy,” McCray said while changing spark plugs on a personal watercraft his 17-year-old daughter will use all summer.
About seven miles up the road, Bob and Susie Parkerson were hard at work at Laurel Marina, preparing their recently-purchased houseboat for its inaugural season as their “little cabin on the water.”
“We’re lake people. We’re out here every minutes that we’re off work,” Susie Parkerson said.
The Johnson City, Tenn., couple already keep a boat at the marina. The houseboat, which they bought in September, “was a dream of mine,” Susie said.
Getting it ready was a big job, Bob Parkerson said, and the couple chose to do it in small increments. Last weekend, they washed and waxed the top of the boat and planned to finish the rest later in the week.
“You have to do this once a year,” Bob Parkerson said.
Then his wife chimed in, “It’s not too bad. There are no gutters to clean and no lawn to mow.”
Boat-owners weren’t the only people working hard in preparation for the boating season. Joyce Smartt, manager at Laurel Marina, said she and her staff have been working non-stop for a month to get ready for the annual deluge of customers.
“We’re getting the store stocked, making sure the facility is clean and neat and everything is painted. We’re planting flowers and cleaning the docks,” Smartt said. “And we’ve got new employees to train.”
Smartt said Memorial Day business is double that of other summer weekends, but added July 4th is the busiest weekend of the summer.
She expects this season to be as busy, if not busier, than years past.
“We think people won’t be traveling as much this summer with the gas prices so high, so they’ll stay here and use their boats more,” she said. Thanks to MAC McLEAN and AMY HUNTER, BRISTOL HERALD COURIER. http://www.tricities.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Seized Boat Auctions
Monday, June 23, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - Gas $4.60 a gallon on Lake Wallenpaupack
Sponsored by Pontoon & Deck Boat, Special 2008 Issue
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. Boaters stay afloat as gas costs rise in Northeast Pa. At $4.60 a gallon on Lake Wallenpaupack, gassing up a pleasure boat to cruise around may sound like a luxury this summer.
Capri Marina, Lakeville
But many marina owners say costs aren't high enough to keep customers shorebound. "People aren't going to give up their fun," said Warren Michener of Capri Marina in Lakeville.
The marina's crew was in a crunch the past several days getting 110 boats out of storage, then inspected, washed, vacuumed and floated for owners eager to hit the water this weekend.
Pontoon Boats - Growing in popularity
One advantage for lake lovers is the growing popularity of pontoon boats, which are "fantastic" on gas, said Michener. "You can run a long time in a tank of gas in a pontoon boat," he said.
Bakker Marine, Hawley
The same pre-holiday scramble was under way at Bakker Marine in Hawley. "We can't get them out fast enough," said Nick Bakker, who noted that gas is the smallest cost of owning a boat. "(Boaters) spend most of the time floating, fishing, swimming, anchored with friends," he said. "It's not like a car where you put on 100 miles a week going to work." Many boat owners fill their tank once a month, he said.
Boat sales are down about 9 percent over last year at this time, but Bakker attributes that drop to rainy weather rather than the economy.
Still, he's been selling 10, 12 or even 15 boats a week, and he sees no serious shortage of customers from New York or New Jersey. Bakker said it's not uncommon for a couple buying a boat to list $10,000 per month income on their credit application.
Sterling Marina, Greentown
Business is better than last year, said Ryan Edwards of Sterling Marina in Greentown. He predicts only a minor impact from gas prices. "I think people will probably end up driving around the lake less and anchoring more. If you pay for a boat, what's a couple bucks to put in the gas tank?" he said.
Klas Marina, Tafton
Boating offers an alternative as travel costs rise, said Cheryl Mueller of 1st Klas Marina in Tafton. "Airfare is high. People can buy a boat, bring the family and spend the day on the lake," she said.
Johnny's Corner Marina, Tafton
But Johnny Gallucci, who owns a small marina in Tafton, said many of his customers are leaving their boats in storage for the summer. "A lot of people aren't calling (to get them out). It's very simple. It's not happening. This gas is hurting everything," said Gallucci, owner of Johnny's Corner Marina.
Beltzville Manor Marine, Lehighton
At Beltzville Lake near Lehighton, Lynette Faust wants to see residents enjoy themselves close to home. "People don't have to go to Florida or Europe. It costs only a couple of dollars to go to the lake. We're hopeful people are going to do some things in their own area and do family things," said Faust, of Beltzville Manor Marine. Thanks to SUSAN KOOMAR, Record Senior Managing Editor http://www.poconorecord.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Sponsored by Pontoon & Deck Boat, Special 2008 Issue
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. Boaters stay afloat as gas costs rise in Northeast Pa. At $4.60 a gallon on Lake Wallenpaupack, gassing up a pleasure boat to cruise around may sound like a luxury this summer.
Capri Marina, Lakeville
But many marina owners say costs aren't high enough to keep customers shorebound. "People aren't going to give up their fun," said Warren Michener of Capri Marina in Lakeville.
The marina's crew was in a crunch the past several days getting 110 boats out of storage, then inspected, washed, vacuumed and floated for owners eager to hit the water this weekend.
Pontoon Boats - Growing in popularity
One advantage for lake lovers is the growing popularity of pontoon boats, which are "fantastic" on gas, said Michener. "You can run a long time in a tank of gas in a pontoon boat," he said.
Bakker Marine, Hawley
The same pre-holiday scramble was under way at Bakker Marine in Hawley. "We can't get them out fast enough," said Nick Bakker, who noted that gas is the smallest cost of owning a boat. "(Boaters) spend most of the time floating, fishing, swimming, anchored with friends," he said. "It's not like a car where you put on 100 miles a week going to work." Many boat owners fill their tank once a month, he said.
Boat sales are down about 9 percent over last year at this time, but Bakker attributes that drop to rainy weather rather than the economy.
Still, he's been selling 10, 12 or even 15 boats a week, and he sees no serious shortage of customers from New York or New Jersey. Bakker said it's not uncommon for a couple buying a boat to list $10,000 per month income on their credit application.
Sterling Marina, Greentown
Business is better than last year, said Ryan Edwards of Sterling Marina in Greentown. He predicts only a minor impact from gas prices. "I think people will probably end up driving around the lake less and anchoring more. If you pay for a boat, what's a couple bucks to put in the gas tank?" he said.
Klas Marina, Tafton
Boating offers an alternative as travel costs rise, said Cheryl Mueller of 1st Klas Marina in Tafton. "Airfare is high. People can buy a boat, bring the family and spend the day on the lake," she said.
Johnny's Corner Marina, Tafton
But Johnny Gallucci, who owns a small marina in Tafton, said many of his customers are leaving their boats in storage for the summer. "A lot of people aren't calling (to get them out). It's very simple. It's not happening. This gas is hurting everything," said Gallucci, owner of Johnny's Corner Marina.
Beltzville Manor Marine, Lehighton
At Beltzville Lake near Lehighton, Lynette Faust wants to see residents enjoy themselves close to home. "People don't have to go to Florida or Europe. It costs only a couple of dollars to go to the lake. We're hopeful people are going to do some things in their own area and do family things," said Faust, of Beltzville Manor Marine. Thanks to SUSAN KOOMAR, Record Senior Managing Editor http://www.poconorecord.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Sponsored by Pontoon & Deck Boat, Special 2008 Issue
Used Pontoon Boats - Looney Tunes on Lake St. Clair
Sponsored by Latitudes & Attitudes - The Boating Lifestyle
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. Looney Tunes drew a lot of disbelieving looks this spring when Joe Raymer first started using it as a charter boat for walleye and bass. You don't see many pontoon boats on Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River, where they are looked on as suited only for little inland lakes.
It's Not a Pontoon - It's a Tri-Toon
"Don't call it a pontoon. It's a TriToon," Raymer said on a sunny Friday morning as he headed the 24-foot boat down the Detroit River at about 25 miles an hour. "It has a third hull forward, and that lets me lift the bow out of the water. You can't do that with a pontoon boat. It's just a barge."
He shut the engine down just upstream from the Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge and started a slow drift down the river with the big saltwater trolling motor on the bow neutralizing most of the current's flow.
Fishing the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair
"If you'll notice, 90% of the boats out here are fishing the Canadian side. That's because that's where all the fish are. Some people don't like to buy a Canadian license, but that's what you have to do if you want to fish where the fish are."
Walleye fishing on Lake St. Clair
The sun was still low on the horizon when Raymer got the first walleye a couple of minutes after starting the drift. A few minutes later, Dan Ouellette of Macomb Township boated one at the back of the boat, where he and longtime fishing buddy Steve Morse of Warren were contentedly heckling each other. "Sometimes, I'd like to forget how I met him," Morse said as Ouellette rubbed it in.
At the bow of the boat, another of their longtime fishing friends, Joe Mudel of Warren, said, "I'm amazed those guys haven't been divorced by now." Added Raymer, "You listen to them and you know why I don't have kids."
Fishing the Detroit River
For fishing the Detroit River, Raymer uses conventional ball jigheads in various colors and a rubber tail called a Finesse Minnow (he buys the Ontario-made lure at Lakeside Fishing Shop in St. Clair Shores). The most successful color usually is a combination of root beer and gold, and in the water it looks a lot like the Wyandotte worm that has a huge following among Detroit River anglers.
"The Finesse Minnow has been great," he said. "We used to have to order them from Canada, but now we can get them here. They last a lot longer than most of the other (rubber) baits."
He also rigs each jig with a free-swinging stinger hook off the main hook, and on this day all nine of the walleyes we caught in four hours were on the stingers. Most of the dozen smallmouth bass we caught and released took the main jig hook.
Great Fishing on Canadian side of Lake St. Clair
We did several drifts along the Canadian side from the bridge down past some big piles of sand and gravel, picking up one to three walleyes each time along with smallmouths, white bass and white perch. A couple of the latter were so big they must have been white bass-white perch hybrids, which are increasing in number.
Raymer, who lives in Standish, bought Looney Tunes five years ago to fish on Saginaw Bay. He rigged the boat with a 115 horsepower Evinrude outboard engine and three electric motors -- two in nacelles fastened on either side of the outboard's lower unit, the third a bow mounted Minn-Kota saltwater trolling motor with a 62-inch shaft to accommodate the TriToon's high freeboard.
"I wasn't sure the single trolling motor forward would handle the current in the Detroit River, but it's been perfect," he said. "I've had this thing doing 4 m.p.h. into the current with just the bow motor. I'll use the two rear motors to move around when I started fishing Saginaw Bay in June. That should save a lot on gas."
Pontoon Boats are great for Charter Fishing
The big bow and stern decks are excellent fishing platforms, and the closed-in cockpit area offers protection from cold weather and summer sunshine. While this day was nearly windless -- too nice for walleye fishing -- the boat easily handled two-foot wakes thrown by freighters and passing pleasure craft.
Next week Raymer plans to move his boat to Saginaw Bay, where the walleye fishing has been fantastic for the past couple of years and where it stays strong in the summer when the Detroit-area bite starts to cool down.
Thanks to ERIC SHARP at 313-222-2511 or esharp@freepress.com for this. Raymer can be reached at 989-846-4865.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Latitudes & Attitudes - The Boating Lifestyle
USA Fisherman, for your convenience.....scroll down to bottom of article where you can obtain your Canadian Boat Operators card to fishing in Canadian waters.
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. Looney Tunes drew a lot of disbelieving looks this spring when Joe Raymer first started using it as a charter boat for walleye and bass. You don't see many pontoon boats on Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River, where they are looked on as suited only for little inland lakes.
It's Not a Pontoon - It's a Tri-Toon
"Don't call it a pontoon. It's a TriToon," Raymer said on a sunny Friday morning as he headed the 24-foot boat down the Detroit River at about 25 miles an hour. "It has a third hull forward, and that lets me lift the bow out of the water. You can't do that with a pontoon boat. It's just a barge."
He shut the engine down just upstream from the Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge and started a slow drift down the river with the big saltwater trolling motor on the bow neutralizing most of the current's flow.
Fishing the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair
"If you'll notice, 90% of the boats out here are fishing the Canadian side. That's because that's where all the fish are. Some people don't like to buy a Canadian license, but that's what you have to do if you want to fish where the fish are."
Walleye fishing on Lake St. Clair
The sun was still low on the horizon when Raymer got the first walleye a couple of minutes after starting the drift. A few minutes later, Dan Ouellette of Macomb Township boated one at the back of the boat, where he and longtime fishing buddy Steve Morse of Warren were contentedly heckling each other. "Sometimes, I'd like to forget how I met him," Morse said as Ouellette rubbed it in.
At the bow of the boat, another of their longtime fishing friends, Joe Mudel of Warren, said, "I'm amazed those guys haven't been divorced by now." Added Raymer, "You listen to them and you know why I don't have kids."
Fishing the Detroit River
For fishing the Detroit River, Raymer uses conventional ball jigheads in various colors and a rubber tail called a Finesse Minnow (he buys the Ontario-made lure at Lakeside Fishing Shop in St. Clair Shores). The most successful color usually is a combination of root beer and gold, and in the water it looks a lot like the Wyandotte worm that has a huge following among Detroit River anglers.
"The Finesse Minnow has been great," he said. "We used to have to order them from Canada, but now we can get them here. They last a lot longer than most of the other (rubber) baits."
He also rigs each jig with a free-swinging stinger hook off the main hook, and on this day all nine of the walleyes we caught in four hours were on the stingers. Most of the dozen smallmouth bass we caught and released took the main jig hook.
Great Fishing on Canadian side of Lake St. Clair
We did several drifts along the Canadian side from the bridge down past some big piles of sand and gravel, picking up one to three walleyes each time along with smallmouths, white bass and white perch. A couple of the latter were so big they must have been white bass-white perch hybrids, which are increasing in number.
Raymer, who lives in Standish, bought Looney Tunes five years ago to fish on Saginaw Bay. He rigged the boat with a 115 horsepower Evinrude outboard engine and three electric motors -- two in nacelles fastened on either side of the outboard's lower unit, the third a bow mounted Minn-Kota saltwater trolling motor with a 62-inch shaft to accommodate the TriToon's high freeboard.
"I wasn't sure the single trolling motor forward would handle the current in the Detroit River, but it's been perfect," he said. "I've had this thing doing 4 m.p.h. into the current with just the bow motor. I'll use the two rear motors to move around when I started fishing Saginaw Bay in June. That should save a lot on gas."
Pontoon Boats are great for Charter Fishing
The big bow and stern decks are excellent fishing platforms, and the closed-in cockpit area offers protection from cold weather and summer sunshine. While this day was nearly windless -- too nice for walleye fishing -- the boat easily handled two-foot wakes thrown by freighters and passing pleasure craft.
Next week Raymer plans to move his boat to Saginaw Bay, where the walleye fishing has been fantastic for the past couple of years and where it stays strong in the summer when the Detroit-area bite starts to cool down.
Thanks to ERIC SHARP at 313-222-2511 or esharp@freepress.com for this. Raymer can be reached at 989-846-4865.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Latitudes & Attitudes - The Boating Lifestyle
USA Fisherman, for your convenience.....scroll down to bottom of article where you can obtain your Canadian Boat Operators card to fishing in Canadian waters.
Used Pontoon Boats - Pontoon Boats Popular on Silver Lakes
Sponsored by Anchors Away - CD-ROM Print Program for Boaters
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. It’s that time of year when people who live on the water in Silver Lakes launch their boats for the summer or uncover them at their docks.
Pontooning on North Lake
My husband and I had the recent pleasure of going out on North Lake in a pontoon boat with friends to enjoy the evening air after a hot day. The water was like glass, ever so still and peaceful. It’s such a delight to glide into the fingers from the open water and see the homes on both sides. The marvelous thing is that if someone is on their patio they will wave, whether they know you or not.
We did know Pat and Maria Ochsner, as they came out of their house to say hello. And it was nice to see Jim Stevens who has a column in the Silver Lakes Ledger called “The Creel Corner.” He was on his dock fishing, of course. He likes to tell us that “fishing is a great way to keep your mind free of tangles.”
Pontoon Boats - Most Popular on the Lakes
As we moved on, in the calm waters of another finger, we realized there is quite an assortment of watercrafts. Pontoon boats seem to be the most popular but there are also motor boats, canoes, paddle boats, kayaks, row boats and sail boats.
The coots are gone, and good riddance because they are a nuisance during the winter months not only in the lakes but also on the golf course. There were plenty of mallards though. The male is unmistakable with a green head, black rear end and a yellow bill tipped with black. The female is less colorful, being light brown with a dark brown bill.
We saw a female with four little brown downy ducklings swimming desperately after their mom. And, much to our surprise, trailing them was a tiny yellow one. Yellow seemed odd, but very striking. It would be interesting to keep an eye on them and I hope they all survive.
There are nine fingers each on North and South lakes with a combined 277 acres of water and 15 miles of shoreline, surrounded by 750 custom homes. The lakes don’t connect visually but they do via pipes with South Lake getting the Mojave River water first, then North Lake and then the golf course.
We just puttered along, across the lake, as the sun slowly went down in the western sky. We passed the water front businesses at North Lake Center such as Margarita’s Landing where people can dine by boat, mooring their craft at the public dock.
By the time we passed the sandy north beach where floating buoys rope off a swimming area with a raft afloat, we saw a really beautiful desert sunset. The horizon was in tiers of color, showing a rosy pink on the bottom, layered sequentially by a hazy yellow, a billowy gray with a dark blue expanse of sky. It was a beautiful backdrop for all the homes whose lights were shining in wavy lines on the water.
A fitting ending to another day in Silver Lakes. Thanks to SHIRLEY HUMMITSCH, Special to the Daily Press, http://www.vvdailypress.com/news for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Anchors Away - CD-ROM Print Program for Boaters
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. It’s that time of year when people who live on the water in Silver Lakes launch their boats for the summer or uncover them at their docks.
Pontooning on North Lake
My husband and I had the recent pleasure of going out on North Lake in a pontoon boat with friends to enjoy the evening air after a hot day. The water was like glass, ever so still and peaceful. It’s such a delight to glide into the fingers from the open water and see the homes on both sides. The marvelous thing is that if someone is on their patio they will wave, whether they know you or not.
We did know Pat and Maria Ochsner, as they came out of their house to say hello. And it was nice to see Jim Stevens who has a column in the Silver Lakes Ledger called “The Creel Corner.” He was on his dock fishing, of course. He likes to tell us that “fishing is a great way to keep your mind free of tangles.”
Pontoon Boats - Most Popular on the Lakes
As we moved on, in the calm waters of another finger, we realized there is quite an assortment of watercrafts. Pontoon boats seem to be the most popular but there are also motor boats, canoes, paddle boats, kayaks, row boats and sail boats.
The coots are gone, and good riddance because they are a nuisance during the winter months not only in the lakes but also on the golf course. There were plenty of mallards though. The male is unmistakable with a green head, black rear end and a yellow bill tipped with black. The female is less colorful, being light brown with a dark brown bill.
We saw a female with four little brown downy ducklings swimming desperately after their mom. And, much to our surprise, trailing them was a tiny yellow one. Yellow seemed odd, but very striking. It would be interesting to keep an eye on them and I hope they all survive.
There are nine fingers each on North and South lakes with a combined 277 acres of water and 15 miles of shoreline, surrounded by 750 custom homes. The lakes don’t connect visually but they do via pipes with South Lake getting the Mojave River water first, then North Lake and then the golf course.
We just puttered along, across the lake, as the sun slowly went down in the western sky. We passed the water front businesses at North Lake Center such as Margarita’s Landing where people can dine by boat, mooring their craft at the public dock.
By the time we passed the sandy north beach where floating buoys rope off a swimming area with a raft afloat, we saw a really beautiful desert sunset. The horizon was in tiers of color, showing a rosy pink on the bottom, layered sequentially by a hazy yellow, a billowy gray with a dark blue expanse of sky. It was a beautiful backdrop for all the homes whose lights were shining in wavy lines on the water.
A fitting ending to another day in Silver Lakes. Thanks to SHIRLEY HUMMITSCH, Special to the Daily Press, http://www.vvdailypress.com/news for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Anchors Away - CD-ROM Print Program for Boaters
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - Whats New in the Pontoon Boat Industry
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats bringing you whats new in the pontoon boat industry. Pictured above is our newest model.
Pontoon Quick Weather Enclosure - The 8 ftx8 ft Square
Check out our NEW Pontoon Enclosure
At NAW we do marine products right!
Our pontoon enclosures are growing in popularity worldwide. They will make a true difference in your comfort while you are boating.
We have a unique system that allows us to build custom enclosures without the need to have your boat physically in our shop.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Anchors Away - CD-ROM Print Program for Boaters
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - Mussels still an Issue
Sponsored by Cruising World - For those who enjoy cruising
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry with a story about Mussels on Needles marina in Colorado.
NEEDLES - When boat owners Dick Pyle and Rick Mazzone pulled their boat from the water at the Needles Marina this spring they was shocked by what they found.
Pontoon Boat completely cover in mussels
The entire underside of the 24 foot pontoon boat was covered by small mussels. “We pulled it out and went, oh crimany, oh God.” Pyle said. “I was shocked. I just couldn't believe it.” “It boggled my mind,” said Mazzone. “The whole bottom of the boat was clustered up. I'd never seen that before.”
The Needles residents said they leave their boat in the water year-round and only pull it out once a year for maintenance. When the boat was pulled from the water this time last year, the boat was mostly clean. “Just a little bit of moss,” Pyle said.
This year, however, the pair had to spend four hours removing the encrusted mass of bivalves from under the boat. Pyle's 3,000-lb. spray washer wasn't strong enough to remove the tenacious mollusks, which had to be painstakingly scraped off with a drywall knife.
Mussels problems reported to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The men reported the mollusk infestation to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is trying to keep zebra and quagga mussels from spreading from the eastern U.S. to the West.
Rick Francis, a technician with the California Department of Fish and Game, said that the mussels were quagga mussels, which have become a problem along the Colorado River from Lake Mead to Blythe. “Our area is pretty much getting overrun with quagga mussels,” said Francis.
According to Francis, quagga mussels have been in the Needles area for approximately one year. The mussels in the river can clog drainage pipes, water intakes of water pumps and anything else that might be in the water. The mussels will stick to boats, docks or anything hard. They are hard to see, however, because they prefer to stay in the shade. “If you flipped over some rocks, you'd find little colonies of them,” Francis said. “They're just attracted to very dark places .”
The mussels could be in a lot of places in the area, but are not easily seen from above the water. “You'll never know they're there, until you pull you boat out,” said Francis. Boaters can expect to find mussels on their boats in as little as four to six weeks.
Fish and Game concerned
According to Francis, Fish and Game does not yet know what the mussels could mean for the river. “We're not quite sure what's going to happen,” he said. “We're going to find out, that's for sure, because it's happening at a fast rate.”
The mussels were first discovered in the Colorado River at Lake Mead, and probably transported to the lake in a recreational boat.
Boaters are asked to keep their boats clean to help prevent the spread of the mussels. Boats that are found to have mussels could be quarantined and not allowed to be put into water until inspected by a representative of Fish and Game.
Use wash stations to clean your boat
“I'd recommend that they find a wash station right there in Needles and clean their boat,” said Francis. “Pull your boat out, do your own inspection and get them off.”
Boaters who use the area for short periods of time also need to be concerned about the mussels. Those boaters need to make sure their boats are clean and dry after exiting the water, including live wells and bilge. “That's the most important thing, to clean and dry the boat,” said Francis. “If you've got live wells, open them up and dry them out with a towel. They'll make you do it at the inspection station.”
Francis estimated that the mussels started growing 6-7 weeks after Pyle and Mazzone put their boat in the water. The infestation that the two men had on their boat is common for a boat in the water as long as theirs was. “It's normal now,” said Francis. “Those long term slip renters are guaranteed, in the lower Colorado River area where you are, to have them on their boat.”
Francis warns boat owners against leaving their boat motors in the water, and said that Pyle and Mazzone were lucky that they didn't leave their motor where the mussels could grow inside and cause severe damage.
For more information on invasive mussels, visit the Fish and Wildlife Service Web site at http://www.fws .gov/news/ mussels.html
Thanks to MARK ASHLEY, www.mohavedailynews.com for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Cruising World - For those who enjoy cruising
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry with a story about Mussels on Needles marina in Colorado.
NEEDLES - When boat owners Dick Pyle and Rick Mazzone pulled their boat from the water at the Needles Marina this spring they was shocked by what they found.
Pontoon Boat completely cover in mussels
The entire underside of the 24 foot pontoon boat was covered by small mussels. “We pulled it out and went, oh crimany, oh God.” Pyle said. “I was shocked. I just couldn't believe it.” “It boggled my mind,” said Mazzone. “The whole bottom of the boat was clustered up. I'd never seen that before.”
The Needles residents said they leave their boat in the water year-round and only pull it out once a year for maintenance. When the boat was pulled from the water this time last year, the boat was mostly clean. “Just a little bit of moss,” Pyle said.
This year, however, the pair had to spend four hours removing the encrusted mass of bivalves from under the boat. Pyle's 3,000-lb. spray washer wasn't strong enough to remove the tenacious mollusks, which had to be painstakingly scraped off with a drywall knife.
Mussels problems reported to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The men reported the mollusk infestation to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is trying to keep zebra and quagga mussels from spreading from the eastern U.S. to the West.
Rick Francis, a technician with the California Department of Fish and Game, said that the mussels were quagga mussels, which have become a problem along the Colorado River from Lake Mead to Blythe. “Our area is pretty much getting overrun with quagga mussels,” said Francis.
According to Francis, quagga mussels have been in the Needles area for approximately one year. The mussels in the river can clog drainage pipes, water intakes of water pumps and anything else that might be in the water. The mussels will stick to boats, docks or anything hard. They are hard to see, however, because they prefer to stay in the shade. “If you flipped over some rocks, you'd find little colonies of them,” Francis said. “They're just attracted to very dark places .”
The mussels could be in a lot of places in the area, but are not easily seen from above the water. “You'll never know they're there, until you pull you boat out,” said Francis. Boaters can expect to find mussels on their boats in as little as four to six weeks.
Fish and Game concerned
According to Francis, Fish and Game does not yet know what the mussels could mean for the river. “We're not quite sure what's going to happen,” he said. “We're going to find out, that's for sure, because it's happening at a fast rate.”
The mussels were first discovered in the Colorado River at Lake Mead, and probably transported to the lake in a recreational boat.
Boaters are asked to keep their boats clean to help prevent the spread of the mussels. Boats that are found to have mussels could be quarantined and not allowed to be put into water until inspected by a representative of Fish and Game.
Use wash stations to clean your boat
“I'd recommend that they find a wash station right there in Needles and clean their boat,” said Francis. “Pull your boat out, do your own inspection and get them off.”
Boaters who use the area for short periods of time also need to be concerned about the mussels. Those boaters need to make sure their boats are clean and dry after exiting the water, including live wells and bilge. “That's the most important thing, to clean and dry the boat,” said Francis. “If you've got live wells, open them up and dry them out with a towel. They'll make you do it at the inspection station.”
Francis estimated that the mussels started growing 6-7 weeks after Pyle and Mazzone put their boat in the water. The infestation that the two men had on their boat is common for a boat in the water as long as theirs was. “It's normal now,” said Francis. “Those long term slip renters are guaranteed, in the lower Colorado River area where you are, to have them on their boat.”
Francis warns boat owners against leaving their boat motors in the water, and said that Pyle and Mazzone were lucky that they didn't leave their motor where the mussels could grow inside and cause severe damage.
For more information on invasive mussels, visit the Fish and Wildlife Service Web site at http://www.fws .gov/news/ mussels.html
Thanks to MARK ASHLEY, www.mohavedailynews.com for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Cruising World - For those who enjoy cruising
Used Pontoon Boats - Branson, Mo. Lakes
Sponsored by Virtual Skipper 3 - Race people all over the world in online regattas
Hi gang, Rick Ostler from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. Here is an articles on The many ways to enjoy Branson's favorite water sports lake is a deep subject, especially when you look beneath the surface.
State Park Marina - Table Rock Lake
Following the recent Memorial Day weekend, recreation on Table Rock Lake adjacent to Branson was in full swing with spring activities, said Pat Cox, an owner of State Park Marina.
"We'll have lots of boat rentals and fishing, and quite a bit of scuba diving because the water tends to be clear in late May with the water temperature in the low 70's (degrees)," Cox said. Two weeks later, the water on the 43,000-acre lake will warm to about 80 degrees and all the water sports will be on for the entire summer.
Scuba Diving on Table Rock Lake
One of the most sought-after spring experiences is the three-hour Discover SCUBA course, Cox said. The marina has two dive boats that go out at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Novice divers are first introduced to the gear, and then dive to about 10 feet where they can explore the underwater landscape and hand-feed the bluegill and other fish.
Each instructor handles only six divers, so there is plenty of individual attention for a safe and fun experience, Cox said. Mike Messenger is a lifelong resident of Branson. He has a day job, but his real fun is as a scuba instructor for the Discover SCUBA tours. In that role, he interacts with kids of all ages, he said.
"A lot of times, we'll have the younger kids. Twelve's a good age," he said. "But we've had a 90-year-old guy out there." On a Discover tour, participants are in clear water and may stand on or float above the rock bottom, he said. "People really relax and have fun," he said.
For Messenger and his family, the lake provides a way of life. Messenger has eight-year-old twins who love diving, he said. And they live close to the lake. "We've got a perfect view of the lake," he said. They also have a houseboat. In addition to diving, his hobbies include water skiing, wakeboarding and parasailing. "It's a whole lot of fun out here," Messenger said.
Three Buoys Having Fun on Table Rock lake
Table Rock Lake has become a way of life for "the three buoys," said Pat Cox. Pat and his twin brother, Phil Cox, and older brother Bob Cox, own and operate State Park Marina and The Harbor Marina on Table Rock. They also operate the marina at the Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center and Bob Cox oversees the family's boat sales facility -- The Harbor Boat & Yacht Sales. The Coxes are the Missouri and Arkansas dealers for Sumerset Houseboats, the leading houseboat builder in the world, doing mostly custom "dream" boats, Pat Cox said.
The Cox family moved to Branson in 1996 from Columbia, Missouri, and bought the first marine property, State Park Marina, that same year. The brothers named their company Starboard Marinas to signify their mission of "doing things right." Starboard is the nautical term meaning "right."
"It's been a good family business, and we've had great customers," Cox said. "We've always tried to listen to them and make the improvements that people wanted."
Table Rock Lake Lifestyle is Popular - Large four bedroom Houseboats
State Park Marina has 600 boat slips on several docks. Most are rented year-round. There's a large dock for the big houseboats, some up to 100 feet long and sporting four bedrooms. "If you can dream it, we can build it," Cox said. "What we're finding is that people are going for the houseboat lifestyle."
Some of the boat slips include patios on the dock for additional grilling and entertaining space, Cox said. They also have access to dock water and cable TV. Table Rock Lake is a U.S. Corps of Engineers lake dedicated to public use, so boaters can go out for a Sunday drive or a long weekend and pull up anywhere along the more than 850 miles of shoreline.
Fun on the Water
To get the feel of a cruise, there's the 48-foot Spirit of America sailboat offering noon and sunset cruises. "It's really a laid-back Caribbean experience," Cox said.
For more activity, there's the Water Adventure Cruise. When the boat drops anchor, it's time to play with the toys including a water trampoline and an inflatable climbing wall, Cox said.
The marina has 75 rental boats. Cox expects lots of families renting pontoon boats over the holiday weekend.
They also can go parasailing
"They fly about 10 minutes, and we fly 350-feet of line, so that takes you up a maximum height of 200 feet," Cox said. "You're way up over the hills, and you can see all the way to downtown Branson. We fly mainly around the dam area because it's really wide there and safe." Speaking of safety, Capt. Sam Sandt has been their parasailing operator for 13 years, so he's got plenty of experience, Cox said.
They also can arrange for a guided fishing trip. "This year, it's the best fishing in five years," Cox said. "The fish are responding to the high water, and moving into predictable areas where people can really get to them."
More Fun on the Dock
Many people come to State Park Marina regularly just to take a stroll, enjoy the ambiance and look at the boats, Cox said. Visitors enjoy feeding the "pet carp," Cox said. Dozens of the docile giant fish--like a pack of dogs begging for treats--patrol the waters beneath the gangplank, seeking a handful of fish food available on the dock.
"They're my best employees," Cox jokes. "They always show up on time and do a great job." And people come out to eat at the restaurant operated on the dock by the popular Danna's BBQ and shop in the 4,000-square-foot Boathouse Boutique with lots of unique gifts and apparel. The restaurant and gift shop are especially popular with families, he said. "If Momma and the kids aren't happy, no one's happy," Cox said.
For additional information about Branson, its shows, live entertainment, theme parks, lakes, golf courses, family attractions, shopping and other features, or to order a free Branson Vacation Guide, call the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-214-3661 or visit our website at www.explorebranson.com.
Thanks Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Enclosures-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Virtual Skipper 3 - Race people all over the world in online regattas
Hi gang, Rick Ostler from Used Pontoon Boats with news and views from the boating industry. Here is an articles on The many ways to enjoy Branson's favorite water sports lake is a deep subject, especially when you look beneath the surface.
State Park Marina - Table Rock Lake
Following the recent Memorial Day weekend, recreation on Table Rock Lake adjacent to Branson was in full swing with spring activities, said Pat Cox, an owner of State Park Marina.
"We'll have lots of boat rentals and fishing, and quite a bit of scuba diving because the water tends to be clear in late May with the water temperature in the low 70's (degrees)," Cox said. Two weeks later, the water on the 43,000-acre lake will warm to about 80 degrees and all the water sports will be on for the entire summer.
Scuba Diving on Table Rock Lake
One of the most sought-after spring experiences is the three-hour Discover SCUBA course, Cox said. The marina has two dive boats that go out at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Novice divers are first introduced to the gear, and then dive to about 10 feet where they can explore the underwater landscape and hand-feed the bluegill and other fish.
Each instructor handles only six divers, so there is plenty of individual attention for a safe and fun experience, Cox said. Mike Messenger is a lifelong resident of Branson. He has a day job, but his real fun is as a scuba instructor for the Discover SCUBA tours. In that role, he interacts with kids of all ages, he said.
"A lot of times, we'll have the younger kids. Twelve's a good age," he said. "But we've had a 90-year-old guy out there." On a Discover tour, participants are in clear water and may stand on or float above the rock bottom, he said. "People really relax and have fun," he said.
For Messenger and his family, the lake provides a way of life. Messenger has eight-year-old twins who love diving, he said. And they live close to the lake. "We've got a perfect view of the lake," he said. They also have a houseboat. In addition to diving, his hobbies include water skiing, wakeboarding and parasailing. "It's a whole lot of fun out here," Messenger said.
Three Buoys Having Fun on Table Rock lake
Table Rock Lake has become a way of life for "the three buoys," said Pat Cox. Pat and his twin brother, Phil Cox, and older brother Bob Cox, own and operate State Park Marina and The Harbor Marina on Table Rock. They also operate the marina at the Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center and Bob Cox oversees the family's boat sales facility -- The Harbor Boat & Yacht Sales. The Coxes are the Missouri and Arkansas dealers for Sumerset Houseboats, the leading houseboat builder in the world, doing mostly custom "dream" boats, Pat Cox said.
The Cox family moved to Branson in 1996 from Columbia, Missouri, and bought the first marine property, State Park Marina, that same year. The brothers named their company Starboard Marinas to signify their mission of "doing things right." Starboard is the nautical term meaning "right."
"It's been a good family business, and we've had great customers," Cox said. "We've always tried to listen to them and make the improvements that people wanted."
Table Rock Lake Lifestyle is Popular - Large four bedroom Houseboats
State Park Marina has 600 boat slips on several docks. Most are rented year-round. There's a large dock for the big houseboats, some up to 100 feet long and sporting four bedrooms. "If you can dream it, we can build it," Cox said. "What we're finding is that people are going for the houseboat lifestyle."
Some of the boat slips include patios on the dock for additional grilling and entertaining space, Cox said. They also have access to dock water and cable TV. Table Rock Lake is a U.S. Corps of Engineers lake dedicated to public use, so boaters can go out for a Sunday drive or a long weekend and pull up anywhere along the more than 850 miles of shoreline.
Fun on the Water
To get the feel of a cruise, there's the 48-foot Spirit of America sailboat offering noon and sunset cruises. "It's really a laid-back Caribbean experience," Cox said.
For more activity, there's the Water Adventure Cruise. When the boat drops anchor, it's time to play with the toys including a water trampoline and an inflatable climbing wall, Cox said.
The marina has 75 rental boats. Cox expects lots of families renting pontoon boats over the holiday weekend.
They also can go parasailing
"They fly about 10 minutes, and we fly 350-feet of line, so that takes you up a maximum height of 200 feet," Cox said. "You're way up over the hills, and you can see all the way to downtown Branson. We fly mainly around the dam area because it's really wide there and safe." Speaking of safety, Capt. Sam Sandt has been their parasailing operator for 13 years, so he's got plenty of experience, Cox said.
They also can arrange for a guided fishing trip. "This year, it's the best fishing in five years," Cox said. "The fish are responding to the high water, and moving into predictable areas where people can really get to them."
More Fun on the Dock
Many people come to State Park Marina regularly just to take a stroll, enjoy the ambiance and look at the boats, Cox said. Visitors enjoy feeding the "pet carp," Cox said. Dozens of the docile giant fish--like a pack of dogs begging for treats--patrol the waters beneath the gangplank, seeking a handful of fish food available on the dock.
"They're my best employees," Cox jokes. "They always show up on time and do a great job." And people come out to eat at the restaurant operated on the dock by the popular Danna's BBQ and shop in the 4,000-square-foot Boathouse Boutique with lots of unique gifts and apparel. The restaurant and gift shop are especially popular with families, he said. "If Momma and the kids aren't happy, no one's happy," Cox said.
For additional information about Branson, its shows, live entertainment, theme parks, lakes, golf courses, family attractions, shopping and other features, or to order a free Branson Vacation Guide, call the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-214-3661 or visit our website at www.explorebranson.com.
Thanks Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
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